Smiling at his brother, Alec almost hugged him again to prove that he was real but he was sure that would earn him an eyeroll and grumbling. "I know it's frustrating but we have to be patient. There's some things that can only be fixed by waiting.

"Mom and dad are in New York." That was a safe subject within the guidelines of the town's strange rules. Present tense, not past. "I live here now with Izzy and -" Pausing, he realized that Max didn't know that Alec had ran away with Magnus. At least that meant he didn't remember how their parents had reacted.

Despite how at ease he was in town, unafraid of who he is, Alec still tensed at the idea of telling Max, readying himself for the kind of hatred Maryse and Robert had aimed at him. Their parents hadn't taken it well but that didn't mean Max would react the same way. "I'm married. His name's Magnus. He'll want to meet you."